Metal tie rod for spaced walls of wood form for concrete wall



March 4, 1969 .R. JOHNSON 3,

' METAL TIE ROD FOR SPACED WALLS OF WOOD 7 FORM FOR CONCRETE WALL Filed July 5, 1967 Sheet of 2 INVENTOR. CALVIN R. JOHNSON c. R. JOHNSON 3,430,913 METAL TIE ROD FOR SPACED WALLS OF WOOD FORM FOR CONCRETE WALL Sheet March 4, 1969 lled July 5 1967 FIG INVENTOR.

8 FIG FIG. i3

' CALVIN R. JOHNSON FIG.15

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A metal tie rod for waler-backed wall panels which are spaced to receive wall-forming concrete between them. Each tie conventionally has: a central body portion, extending horizontally across the concrete space between panels, and left and right end portions extending through and projecting outwardly from the waler-backed panels; and a pair of spacers, one on each end of its central body portion, to hold the spaced wall panels against relative inward movement and thus prevent a decrease in panel spacing. Each projecting portion of the rod carries an arm mounted on it for movement from a retracted position to an extended position. Retracted, the arm extends along the projecting portion of the tie and cooperates therewith to form an assembly, which is cross-sectionally small enough to pass through a tie-receiving panel opening during the form-erection operation. Extended, the arms extends laterally outward from the tie to hold the adjacent panel and the interposed waler against outward movement relative to other waler-backed panel and thus prevent an increase in panel spacing during a period embracing the concrete pouring and setting operations.

In use, one or more wall panels, on the right side of the concrete-receiving space, are erected. Ties, with their lock arms retracted, are inserted rightwardly through tie receiving openings of such panels, whereupon their respective locking arms may be extended to receive the walers and to clamp the right panel-waler assembly between the corresponding spacers and locking arms. In the process of erecting the left side panels, their tie-receiving holes are threaded over the corresponding ties and their retracted locking arms, whereupon their lock arms are extended to receive the walers and to clamp the left panel-waler assembly between the left spacer and locking arms. Now the concrete may be poured and allowed to set. Thereafter the outermost end portion of each end of each tie is twisted to snap the tie at the inner end of its spacer so that the snapped portion and the corresponding waler-backed panels may be stripped from the concrete wall.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to improvements in a metal tie rod for holding opposed wood wall panels of a concrete form to a desired spacing while plastic concrete is poured into the form and allowed to set.

Description of the prior art There are a number of different types of prior art arrangements for locking a pair of spaced waler-backed wall panels to a common tie rod to prevent either inward or outward movement of one panel relative to the other. Some commonly used arrangements provide, for each end of each tie, an inner tie-mounted spacer for holding the adjacent panel against relative inward movement toward the opposed spaced panel and an outer tie-mounted as sembly for holding the adjacent panel against relative outward movement away from the opposed panel. One comice monly used outer assembly comprises: a stepped (risershelf-riser) bracket member providing, at the inner end of the shelf, a vertically depending riser or panel-bracket engaging the outer face of the wall panel, and at the outer end of the shelf, an upright riser or waler-bracket to engage the outer face of a waler interposed between this waler-bracket and the adjacent wall panel, the shelf acting as a web rigidly interconnecting the upper end of the panel-bracket with the lower end of the outwardly spaced waler bracket; and a rotary cam or wedge member, mounted on the stepped bracket member to engage and use end of the tie rod as a stationary base so that, when the cam is rotated, the cam forces the panel-bracket inwardly against the panel and thence further inward until the panel is clamped tightly between said inner spacer and the panel-bracket of said outer assembly.

Contractors using these tie-based outer assemblies often maintain an inventory of 2,000 to 5,000 of them at a cost approximating $1.50. Their use also involves the cost of removing them from inventory, transporting them to the construction site, using them at the construction site and returning them to the warehouse during the course of which some are lost. Consequently the contractor not only has a substantial financial investment in the equipment but, during each use, is also subject to handling and replacement costs which may be and often are substantial.

In some cases, each waler-backed panel is provided with a number of stiff-backs which are studs extending vertically across the outer faces of the successive horizontal walers. To secure stiff-backs in place, a series of metal stiff-back cams are provided, one at each intersection of a vertical stiff-back with each horizontal row of walers, each cam being connected to the bracket of the outer assembly to press the stiff-back against the outer face of the adjacent waler.

The use of stiff-back cams involves an additional cost approximating $1.00 per cam and additional handling and replacement costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Objects of the invention The principal objects of the present invention are: to eliminate the present costly forms of panel-holding brackets and cam-locking assembly and stiff-back cams so as to reduce, in substantial measure, the expense involved in storing, transporting, using and replacing them; and to provide each tie with a simple panel-locking means which is bodily carried by the tie so as to be stored, transported, used and destroyed with the tie which is so inexpensive as to represent but a fraction of the present cost of the eliminated means.

Statement of the invention The objects of the present invention are accomplished by providing each end of a conventional rod-like tie, having a conventionally mounted inner spacer, with a simple and inexpensive holding or locking member which is firmly (preferably permanently) carried by the tie for movement from a retracted position in which it and the adjacent end of the tie may be passed through a tiereceiving opening of the panel, to an extended position in which it cooperates with the adjacent inner spacer to lock the waler and the panel against outward movement relative to the opposed panel-waler assembly. In the preferred embodiment, the conventional eye-forming closed loop at the outer end of the tie is modified to forman open hook, which provides an abutment, while a locking arm is pivotally secured to the tie for movement from a retracted position, in which it extends closely along the tie, to an extended position, in which it bridges the opening of the hook to abut the free end thereof.

3 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGS. 1-6 show the preferred embodiment, FIG. 1 being a side elevational view of a portion of a concrete wall form utilizing the ties of the present invention, FIG. 2 a sectional view of a fragmentary portion of the FIG. 1 structure, taken along line 22 of FIG. 1, this view showing a portion of the adjacent structure in perspective, FIG. 3 a side elevational view of an end portion of the tie of FIGS. 1 and 2, FIG. 4 a bottom plan view of the tie of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 a sectional view, partly in elevation, taken along line 66 of FIG. 4;

FIGS. 7-9 show a 2nd embodiment, F IG. 7 being a side elevational vie-w of a portion of another embodiment of the tie of the present invention, FIG. 8 a top plan view of the tie of FIG. 7, and FIG. 9 a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of a concrete wall form utilizing the tie of FIGS. 7 and 8;

FIGS. 1013 show a 3rd embodiment, FIG. 10 being a side elevational view of a portion of still another form of the tie of the present invention, FIG. 11 a bottom plan view of the tie of FIG. 10, FIG. 12 a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of a concrete wall form employing the tie of FIGS. 10 and 11, and FIG. 13 an end elevational view of the structure of FIG. 12 and taken along line 13-13 of FIG. 12; and

FIGS. 14-16 show a 4th embodiment, FIG. 14 being a side elevational view showing the device retracted, FIG. 15 an end elevational view showing it extended and FIG. 16 a fragmentary sectional 'view corresponding to one taken along line 16-16 of FIG. 15.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Conventional structure FIGS. 1 and 2 show a wood form composed of upright outer and inner walls 1 and 2, which are spaced from each other to provide a concrete-receiving space therebetween into which plastic wall-forming concrete is poured and allowed to set. Each of the walls 1 and 2 usually is formed of a plurality of upright panels 3. Each of the panels 3 is preferably composed of 8 x 4 plywood of thickness. The lowermost panels 3 of the walls 1 and 2 are supported on a concrete footing 4.

Each of the panels 3 is formed with a plurality of tiereceiving openings 5, which are usually circular. The tiereceiving openings 5 in each wall of the wood form, are usually horizontally and vertically spaced symmetrically on 24" centers to form vertically spaced horizontal rows and horizontally spaced vertical rows. Furthermore, each tie-receiving opening 5 in wall 1 is horizontally aligned with a corresponding opening 5 in the opposite wall 2.

For each pair of the horizontally aligned openings 5, a tie is provided. As shown in 'FIG. 2, the tie conventionaly comprises: an elongate A" metal rod 6, having a central body portion bridging the concrete space, right and left panel portions passing through right and left openings 5 and a projecting portion at the outermost end of each panel portion; and a pair of spacers 7, which are preferably plastic, disposed on the right and left ends of the central body portion. Each spacer 7 is preferably of conical shape. Its larger end, which abuts the adjacent wall or panel, has a diameter greater than the diameter of the circular tie-receiving openings 5 in the panels 3.

The body of the rod 6 has a pair of enlarged portions 8, one at the inner end of each spacer 7. Each of the portions 8 acts as a stop preventing the adjacent spacer 7 from moving inwardly along the rod 6. As a result, the spacer 7 cooperates with each other to establish the thickness of the desired concrete-receiving space and to restrict relative inward movement of opposed panels at the established thickness. In other words, the spacers 7 insure that the spacing between the walls or sides 1 and 2 of the concrete form cannot be decreased below the desired thickness of the concrete wall to be formed.

Inventive structure In accordance with the present invention, at least one end portion of the metal tie rod 6 is arranged to carry a physically attached means for locking the adjacent wall form against outward movement, this means including an arm 9 mounted on the end portion of the rod for movement between a retracted position, in which it extends inwardly along the rod and cooperates with the rod to form a rod assembly, which cross-sectionally is small enough to pass through a tie-receiving opening, and an extended position, in which it extends laterally outward from the rod and is spaced outwardly to permit a waler to be interposed snugly between it and the panel and cooperates with the corresponding inner spacer to lock the waler-hacked panel against movement either in the inward direction which would decrease the thickness of the concrete receiving space or in the outward direction which would increase that thickness. When all locking means of the spaced-opposed water-backed panels are extended the plastic Wall-forming concrete may be poured into the concrete receiving space between walls 1 and 2 and permitted to set.

Each end of the rod 6 terminates in an open hook 11. When each of the arms 9 is pivoted to an extended posi tion, in which the arm 9 is disposed substantially perpendicular to the rod 6, it abuts against the end face 12 of the adjacent open hook 11, as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, the end face 12 of the hook 11 serves to limit the pivotal movement of the arm 9 and to retain the extended arm 9 against pivotal movement beyond its extended position. The bight 13 of the arm 9 has its inner end portion cut out at 14 to permit the arm 9 to pivot between its retracted and extended positions.

When the locking arm 9 is in its extended position, it engages against a horizontally disposed support member, which bears against one side of each of the panels 3. The bottom support member 15, which rests on the footing 4, is called a plate while all of the other support members 16, which rest on the rods 6 or are attached thereto beneath the rods 6, are called walers. Each of the support members (the plates 15 and the walers 16) is preferably formed of 2" x 4" wood.

The position of each of the arms 9 on the rod 6 is such that the arm 9 will accommodate the panel 3 and the plate 15 (or the waler 16) between the larger outer end of the spacer 7 and the bight of the extended arm 9. This is a tight fit so that the plate 15 or the waler 16 exerts a force inwardly against the panel 3 so as to maintain the walls 1 and 2 of the form against any relative outward movement, which would increase the thickness of the concrete-receiving space between them.

The bight of each arm 9 has an aperture 17 near its free end to permit nailing of the arm 9, if desired, to the plate 15 or the waler 16. The nailing of the arms 9 to the walers 16 is always desirable, particularly when the walers 16 are disposed below the rods 6 rather than being on the top side of the rods 6. It also is desirable to nail the plates 15 to the arms 9.

Each of the tie rods 6 has a weakened portion 18 adjacent each of the enlarged portions 8. This permits breaking or snapping off each end of the rod 6 after the concrete wall has been formed.

In assembling the concrete wall form of FIGS. 1 and 2, the following steps are preferably performed in sequence:

(1) Secure one of the plates 15 to the footing 4 along the outer limit of panels 3, which forms the outer wall 1 of the wooden wall form.

(2) Erect one (or more) of the panels 3 of the outer wall 1 with the lower end of its outer face placed flush against the inner face of the plate 15 and with its bottom end resting on the footing 4 and then nail or otherwise secure the panel 3 to plate 15.

(3) Insert one end of a rod 6 (with its arm 9 retracted) through an opening 5 (in the lowermost horizontal row of openings) from the inside of the panel 3 until the large end of the spacer 7 for the inserted end of the rod 6, abuts the inner face of the erected panel 3 and then move the arm 9 to an extended position, free of plate 15. Now rotate rod 6 until the extended arm 9 abuts the outer face of the plate 15 as shown in FIG. 2.

(4) Insert tie rods into the remaining openings of the bottom row and manipulate their respective arms to abut plate 15.

(5) Pass a nail through the aperture 17 in the arm 9 and drive it into the plate 15.

(6) Erect the remainder of the lowermost panels 3, of outer wall 1 by repeating steps 2-5.

(7) Insert the outer ends of the rods 6 (and their retracted arms 9) outwardly through the remainder of the higher rows of openings 5 in the erected panels 3 of outer wall 1 and then move each arm 9 to its extended waler-receiving position.

(8) Position one of the walers 16, which should be as long as the plate 15, on the upper side of the projecting end portions of one horizontal row of rods 6, and force that waler downwardly into the space between the panels 3 and the extended arms 9. This locks that waler 16 in place.

(9) If desired, nail arms 9 to waler 16.

(10) Repeat waler installation and nailing steps 8-9 for the remaining rows of projecting rods 6 and walers 16 along the same outer wall 1.

(11) If desired, erect stiff-back (one shown inphantom at 19 in FIG. 2) adjacent one of the vertical columns of arms 9, pass nails through suitable openings 19A (in the arms 9) and drive them horizontally into the stiffback 19, which should extend the full height of the concrete wall to be formed. It the wall 1 is higher than the height of the panels 3, then the stitf back 19 will project above the upper ends of the erected panel 3 at this time.

(12) Erect additional stiff-backs, preferably at every fourth vertical column of the arms 9.

(13) Thread the openings 5 in the first panel 3 for the inner wall 2 over the inner ends of the rods 6 and then move arms 9 (on this end of the rods 6) to their extended positions to prevent the panel 3 from unthreadmg.

(14) Install the next two or three panels 3 of the inner wall 2 in the same manner as described in step 13.

(15) Position one of the walers 16 on the upper side of the projecting inner-end portions of one horizontal row of rods 6, about half way up the height of the panels 3, and force that waler 16 downwardly into the space between the extended arms 9 and the panel 3.

(16) If desired, nail the locking arms 9 to the walers 16 although this is not a requisite unless the waler 16 is disposed on the underside of the rods 6.

(17) Dispose the remaining of the inner wall walers 16 and the plate 15 between the extended arms 9 and the erected panels 3 of the inner wall 2.

l8) Erect the remainder of the lowermost panels 3 of inner wall 2 by repeating steps 13-17.

(19) Apply the stiff-backs 19 as necessary in the same manner as described in steps 11-12.

(20) Erect additional rows of upper panels 3 above the lowermost panels 3 of the outer wall 1 if the wall 1 is to be higher than the height of one of the panels 3. Then, erect upper panels 3 for the inner wall 2 if the height of the form is to be greater than the height of one of the panels 3.

(21) Pour concrete into the Space between the walls 1 and 2 and permit to set.

(22) Remove the nails, which connect the arms 9 to the plates 15 and any of the walers 16, and the nails connecting the stiif-backs 19 to the locking arms 9.

(23) Remove the walers 16.

(24) Break or snap off the rods 6 at their weakened positions 18 by fitting a tool over the hook 11 and the arm 9 in its retracted position and turning the tool approximately (25) Remove the snapped portions of the tie rods, panels 3, and the walers 16 including plates 15.

(26) Fill or putty the holes left in the formed concrete wall due to snapping or breaking the removal of the snapped portions of the tie-rods 6 and spacers 7.

Now it may be noted that one tie conventionally constructed to comprise a rod 6 having a pair of plastic spacers 7, flattened enlargements 8, weakened snapping oif points 18, and closed end loops instead of open hooks 11, presently costs approximately 12 to 13 cents. A second tie identically constructed except for the provision of open hooks 11 at its opposite end and the addition of pivotal locking arms 9, is estimated to cost 15 to 16 cents. Thus, at an estimated cost increase of 3 cents, each tie, made in accordance with my invention, not only eliminates the cost of making or purchasing two outer tie-mountable assemblies (each composed of a metal bracket and a cam or wedge member) but also eliminates the cost of the labor and overhead expense involved in storing, transporting and using them and the cost of replacing those that are lost. As an indication of the amount involved, it should suffice to note that one present form of tie-mountable assembl (i.e. one bracket and one associated wedging cam) presently cost $1.50.

My arrangement as above described also substitutes one inexpensive nail for each stiff-back cam, one widelyused form of which presently costs approximately $1.00.

DESCRIPTION OF MODIFICATION OF FIGS. 7-9

FIGS. 7-9 show a portion of another form of the tie of the present invention. The tie includes an elongated rod 20 having a locking arm 21, which is preferably channel-shaped, pivotally connected thereto by a pin 22, located on the projecting portion of the rod 20. When the arm 21 is in its retracted position of FIGS. 7 and 8, it rests on the rod 20. The combined cross section of the rod 20 and the arm 21 is less than the size of the opening 5 in the panel 3 so that the rod 20 with the locking arm 21 in its retracted position may pass through the opening 5.

A second (retaining) arm 23, which is preferably channel shaped, is pivotally connected by a pin 24 to the rod 20 adjacent its outermost end. The retaining arm 23 is movable between its retracted FIGS. 7-8 positions and its extended FIG. 9 position. When the retaining arm 23 is in its retracted position of FIGS. 7 and 8, it increases the cross sectional size of the rod 20 only slightly so that the combined cross sectional size of the rod 20 and the retaining arm 23 is also less than the size of the opening 5 whereby the arm 23 and the rod 20 may pass through the opening 5.

The retaining arm 23 has a bight 25. The inner end of bight 25, which is nearest the pivot 24, engages the adjacent end of the rod 20 to prevent the arm 23 from swinging past its retracted position. The other end of arm 23 is cut away so that bight 25 provides a projection or tongue 26 extending beyond the end of sides 27 of the arm 23. The sides 27 have their ends 28 beveled.

As the locking arm 21 is moved to approach its extended FIG. 9 position, wherein it is substantially perpendicular to the rod 20, the retaining arm 23 may be moved to an extended position wherein its beveled ends 28 of the sides 27 abut against bight 29 of the arm 21 as shown in FIG. 9. In order to insure that the retaining arm 23 retains the locking arm 21 in the extended position, the arms 21 and 23 are manipulated so that the tongue 26 of arms 23 enters a slot or opening 30 in the bight 29 of the arm 21.

Accordingly, the rod 20 may be easily inserted through the opening 5 in the panel 3 when the arms 21 and 23 are in the positions of FIGS. 7 and 8. Thereafter, during assembly of the concrete wall form in the same manner as described for the tie of FIGS. 16, the arm 21 is moved to its extended position by pivoting about the pin 22 whereby the arm 21 locks the plate or the waler 16 between the arm 21 and the panel 3. The arm 23 is then pivoted about its pin 24 to engage the tongue 26 within the slot or opening 30 in the locking arm 21 to maintain the arm 21 in its extended or locking position. This retains the waler 16 or the plate 15 in the position between the panel 3 and the locking arm 21 to prevent movement between the two walls or sides 1 and 2 of the concrete wall form when cOncrete is poured into the space between the two walls of the concrete form and sets.

It should be understood that the rod has a similar assembly of arms 21 and 23 on its other end. Likewise, the rod 20 is similar to the rod 6 in that it has the enlarged portions 8 to prevent movement of the spacers 7 and the weakened portions 18 to permit snapping or breaking of the rods 20 after the concrete wall has been formed due to setting of the concrete.

If the stiff-backs should be required, then aligned openings for a nail would be provided in the sides 27 of the arm 23. Likewise, the bight 29 of the arm 21 ma have a nail aperture therein to permit nailing of the arm 21 to the walers 16 and the plates 15 in the manner described for the rod 6 of FIGS. 1-6.

DESCRIPTION OF MODIFICATION OF FIGS. 10-13 FIGS. 10-13 show another form of the tie of the present invention. The tie includes an elongated rod 31 having a locking arm 32, which is preferably channel shaped, pivotally connected thereto by a pin 33 adjacent the end of the rod 31. The arm 32 includes a first portion 34, which lies over the rod 31 in its retracted position, and a second portion 35 extending at an angle to the first portion 34.

The cross section of the rod 31 and the pOrtiOn 34 of the arm 32 is less than the size of the opening 5 in the panel 3 so that the rod 31 and the portion 34 of the arm 32 may pass through the opening 5 when the arm is in its retracted position. The angular projection of the second portion 35 of the arm 32 from the first portion 34 is such that it also will pass through the opening 5 when the arm 32 is in its retracted position.

A retaining member 36 is pivotally connected to the rod 31 by a pin 37. The pin 37 is disposed inwardly of the pin 33. Thus, the pivotal connection of the arm 32 and the retaining member 36 to the rod 31 is opposite to that for the tie 20 of FIGS. 7-9.

The retaining member 36 comprises a strip 38, which has a width less than the distance between the sides of the arm 32 so that the strip 38 may be disposed therebetween. The strip 38 terminates in a tongue 39 of smaller width than the remainder of the strip 38. The strip 38 has beveled ends 40 (see FIG. 10) for co-operation with the portion 35 of the arm 32 when the arm 32 is in its extended position.

In assembling the concrete wall form when using the rod 31, the rod 31 is inserted through one of the openings 5 in the panels 3 with the arm 32 in the retracted position of FIGS. 10 and 11 and the retaining member 36 in the position of FIGS. 10 and 11. The retaining member 36 is held in this position by the assembler grasping the bottom of the strip 38 as the rod 31 passes through the opening 5.

Then, the arm 32 is pivoted to the position of FIG. 12 wherein the first portion 34, which engages the waler 16 or the plate 15, is disposed substantially perpendicular to the rod 31. As the arm 32 is pivoted clockwise (as viewed in FIG. 12) about the pin 33, the retaining member 36 is held so that the tongue 39 enters a slot 41 in the second portion 35 of the arm 32. Thus, as the arm 32 is pivoted about the pin 33, the tongue 39 moves down the slot 41. When the arm 32 reaches the position of FIG. 12 in which the first portion 34 is substantially perpendicular to the rod 31, the beveled ends of the strip 38 engage against the central part of the second portion 35 of the arm 32 to retain the arm 32 in the extended or locking position of FIG. 12.

The assembly of the walers 16 and the plates 15 is the same as that described for the rod 6 of FIGS. 16. Thus, each of the plates 15 and the walers 16 is held between one of the panels 3 and the arms 32 to maintain the walls 1 and 2 of the concrete wall form at the selected, spaced distance when concrete is poured into the space between the walls 1 and 2 of the concrete form and sets therein.

It should be understood that the rod 31 has a similar assembly of retainer arm 36 and locking arm 32 on its other end. Likewise, the rod 31 has the two spacers 7, the enlarged portions 8, and the weakened portions 18.

If it is desired to nail any of the arms 32 to the plates 15 or the walers 16, nail holes may be provided in the bights thereof. If stiff-backs also are to be employed, aligned nail holes may be provided in the arm 32.

Accordingly, when utilizing any of the simple and inexpensive ties of the present invention, there is no requirement for any extra clamping or locking equipment such as the metal brackets, their associated wedging cams and stiff-back cams. Thus, an important advantage of this invention is that it eliminates the normally required large inventory of such parts and their attendant costs.

DESCRIPTION OF MODIFICATION OF FIGS. 14-16 This modification is similar to the preceding structures in that it includes: an elongate metal rod; and a pair of panel holding means, one for each end of the rod, each panel holding means interconnecting the adjacent end portion of the rod with the adjacent wall panel 3 to hold the adjacent panel 3 against outward movement relative to the other panel 3, and each comprising an arm mounted on the adjacent portion of the rod for movement between retracted and extended positions, wherein the retracted arm extends along said adjacent end portion and cooperates therewith to form an assembly which is crosssectionally small enough to pass through a tie-receiving panel opening 5, while the extended arm extends outwardly from the rod to block relative outward movement of the adjacent panel.

The elongate metal rod, which is designated 45, is flattened at each end to provide a head or abutment 46.

The panel holding means, at opposite ends of rod 45, preferably are identical; hence, only one holding means will be described. It comprises an arm 47 in the form of an elongate shallow C having a straight back, which terminates at its outer end in a re-entrantly turned hook portion composed of two successive 90 turns forming an inwardly open hook 48 that is dimensioned large enough to receive the adjacent head 46 of rod 45 as seen in FIG. 14. The inner end of arm 47 preferably is also re-entrantly turned to form an identical hook 49. The inner half of arm 47 is cut away along its axis to provide a slot extending from about the center of the arm 47 to the end thereof through the first turn of the hook 49, this end of the slot being closed by the second turn of the hook 49. The rod 45 extends through slot 50 and its end abutment 46 is large enoguh to prevent its removal from arm 47 or vice versa.

With this arrangement, the retracted arm 47, as seen in FIG. 14, may be thrust through a tie-receiving opening 5 of the outer wall panel 3 to position the arm 47 on the outer side of the wall panel. Thereupon the arm 47 may be moved to the extended position shown in FIGS. 15-16 wherein the inner slotted end portion of the arm extends vertically, either up (as shown in FIG. 15) or down. A pair of (upper and lower) walers 16 are now inserted between the arm 47 and the adjacent panel 3 so that both walers 16 and the panel 3 are clamped (as a unit) between spacer 7 on the inner side of the waler-panel unit and arm 47 on the outer side of that unit. In FIGS. 15-16, the

upper waler 16 is shown between the upwardly extending slotted end portion of the arm 47 and the panel while the lower waler 16 is shown between the downwardly extending portion of the arm 47 and the panel 3. Nail holes 51 and 52 are provided for nailing arm 47 to the walers.

Having described my invention, I claim: 1. An improvement in concrete wall-forming equipment, comprising:

(A) an elongate metal tie rod, having (1) a mid-portion to extend across the space between spaced upright waler-backed wall-panels of a wood-form for a concrete wall and (2) opposite end portion to extend through horizontally-aligned tie-receiving openings in the wall-panels and project outwardly therefrom; and (B) panel-holding means for interconnecting one end portion of said tie rod with an adjacent wall-panel for the purpose of holding the adjacent wall-panel against outward movement relative to the other wall-panel, said means including (1) an arm mounted on said one end portion of the tie rod for movement between (a) a retracted position, in which it extends along said one end portion and cooperates therewith to form an assembly, which is cross-sectionally small enough to pass through a tie-receiving panel opening, and (b) an extended position in which it extends outwardly from the rod to block relative outward movement of the adjacent panel, and (2) retaining means, mounted on said one end portion, to retain said arm in its extended position. 2. The improvement of claim 1, wherein:

(A) said arm is pivotally mounted to said one end portion.

3. The improvement of claim 2, wherein:

(A) said retaining means can be passed through the tie-receiving opening.

4. The improvement of claim 3, wherein:

(A) said retaining means comprises a lateral abutment rigidly connected to said one end portion.

5. The improvement of claim 4, wherein:

(A) said lateral abutment comprises a hook formed at the extreme end of said one end portion to extend laterally from the rod.

6. The improvement of claim 1 wherein:

(A) said arm is in the form of an elongate shallow U (1) having inner and outer halves, each characterized by a substantially straight back and a turned free end,

(a) said inner half being provided with a slot extending lengthwise through its back and its turned end; and

(B) said rod extending through said slot.

7. The improvement of claim 6 wherein:

(A) said retaining means prevents said one end portion of the rod from being removed endwise through the slot.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,198,476 8/1965 Smith 249-217 X WILLIAM J. STEPHENSON, Primary Examiner. D. W. JONES, Assistant Examiner.

US Cl. X.R. 249190, 219 

